Monthly Archives: October 2009

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KNOXVILLE – The gates of Tennessee’s only death row prison opened wide for Lemaricus Davidson tonight, hours after a Knox County jury sentenced him to die for his role as the ringleader in the January 2007 carjacking, torture and killings of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom.

Davidson arrived at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution’s Unit 2 in Nashville around 6 p.m. local time, said Dorinda Carter, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Department of Correction. He’ll spend 23 hours per day alone in his cell every day, with just one hour of daylight in a caged yard.

That status won’t change for at least 18 months, Carter said. Depending on his behavior, Davidson could eventually be upgraded to allow occasional phone calls or the chance to apply for inmate jobs such as cleaning, she said.

“Regardless of their status, they don’t ever leave that building,” she said.

The jury of five women and seven men deliberated about four hours before returning its decision this afternoon to a packed courtroom.

“The punishment is death,” the jury foreman said.

The victims’ families gasped at the verdict, but Davidson showed no reaction. Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner admonished those in the courtroom to control any outburst.

“The murder was especially heinous, atrocious and cruel,” the foreman said, reading from the verdict form.

Davidson, 28, most likely will be taken to Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville where death row is housed. Some male inmates, however, are incarcerated at Morgan County Correctional Complex in Wartburg for security reasons. Two inmates with the death penalty are currently housed at that prison.

The jurors this morning heard closing arguments in the penalty phase of this 11-day trial before getting a final round of legal instructions from Baumgartner.

Prosecutor Takisha Fitzgerald told jurors Davidson killed Christian, 21, a University of Tennessee student and her boyfriend Newsom, 23, to save his own neck.

“The only thing Chris had left was the knowledge of who his attacker was,” Fitzgerald said. “(Davidson) took everything else. The only thing (Channon) had left was the knowledge of who her attacker was.”

Defense attorney Doug Trant asked jurors to spare Davidson’s life, noting the abuse he suffered and the foster parents who still love him.

“I’m going to ask you to spare Lemaricus Davidson’s life,” he said. “I’m going to ask you to do it for that little boy who was sexually abused … I’m going to ask you to do it for that little boy who was whipped by extension cords and paperweights.”

The jury, chosen from Knox County at Davidson’s insistence, considered death by lethal injection, life without parole or life, a mandatory 51-year sentence.

Davidson’s brother, Letalvis Cobbins, 26, was convicted in August and is serving life without parole. He is in a protective safety unit away from the general population at a West Tennessee prison after expressing fears for his safety.

Pending trial are suspects George Thomas, 26, who will face a Hamilton County jury Dec. 1, and Vanessa Coleman, 21, whose case is on hold pending a pre-trial appeal.

A fifth suspect, Eric Boyd, 37, remains uncharged in the killings but is serving an 18-year federal prison term for hiding out Davidson after the slayings.

Davidson is the first defendant from Knox County to be sent to death row since 1997. Executions in Tennessee are carried out by lethal injection.

Dennis Suttles, 57, was convicted of first-degree murder for cutting the throat of a woman in a fast-food parking lot in 1996.

Death row currently has 89 inmates, six from Knox County. All but two of the inmates are men.

The female inmates are housed at the Tennessee Prison for Women in Nashville. One of those is Christa Gail Pike, 33, who was sentenced to death in 1996 for the torture-slaying of Colleen Slemmer, then a fellow 19-year-old Job Corps student.

On Thursday, two women who offered Davidson a better life as a teenager asked the jury to spare his life.

Foster mother Flo Rudd and group home mother Alice Rhea told jurors Davidson was worth saving despite the fact that he turned to robbery and, ultimately, murder despite their efforts to rescue him from a troubled upbringing.

“He’s my son,” Rhea said. “I love him. He has such potential. If you put him in a structured environment, he does everything he should. I think he can be an influence to young men for years to come.”

The defense called 11 witnesses on Thursday on Davidson’s behalf in the wake of his convictions.

Jurors on Wednesday deemed him guilty of the top count in 35 of 38 charges, ranging from the murder of both Christian and Newsom to kidnapping to robbery. They also found Davidson guilty of multiple counts of raping Christian.

Davidson’s only reprieve – and it was largely irrelevant because of the murder convictions – came in the rape of Newsom. With no DNA evidence to directly link him to a rape that forensic evidence suggested was committed with an object, jurors opted for convictions of the lesser charge of facilitation of aggravated rape.

He will be sentenced at a later date on those charges.

Davidson chose not to testify in his own behalf either during the trial or sentencing phase.

The victims were white and all four defendants are black, and that raised some racial tension, including a protest in Knoxville.

A lot was made of race on the Internet, but prosecutors and police have said race was not a factor, contending the carjacking that led to their deaths was random.

October 30, 2009 – 10:32amAfter the jury left, defense attorney Doug Trant raised an objection to part of the jury’s instructions. He claimed that Newsom’s death cannot be called “mutilation” because that legally requires that the victim’s head or limbs are cut off.

That was not the case with either of the victims.

October 30, 2009 – 10:27amThe jury is now being sent to deliberate.

October 30, 2009 – 10:23amAfter reading his instructions, the judge reviews the forms the jury must fill out upon deciding the sentence.

October 30, 2009 – 10:13amJudge Baumgartner explains the jury’s choices. One is life, which can come with the possibility of parole after 51 years. Another is life without parole. The final sentence option is the death penalty.

“You are the sole judges,” he tells jurors.

October 30, 2009 – 9:53amClosing arguments are done and the judge is now giving instructions on how they should reach their decision on a sentence.

“You have to decide unanimously, beyond a reasonable doubt, that an aggravating circumstance exists,” he says.

“We are not talking about excuses,” he says. “We’re talking about explanations.”

Trant reviews the abuse and rejection that Davidson suffered as a child. Criminal, sexual molestation and drugs run in Davidson’s family for generations, he says. “No question Lemaricus Davidson was neglected.”

October 30, 2009 – 9:18amFitzgerald shows that Davidson continued to have opportunities and make choices after going to prison on the aggravated armed robbery conviction.

“The opportunities for the defendant continues,” Fitzgerald says, even after the abduction of Christian and Newsom.

At the end, Chris Newsom and Channon Christian had only their lives left, but Davidson took that, says Fitzgerald.

October 30, 2009 – 9:15amFitzgerald reminds the jury that Davidson’s sister had the same mother and lived in the same home, but that didn’t cause her to make the same decisions as Davidson.

The same was with Davidson’s uncle. “He had dope problems. He didn’t let that get him down,” she says.

“But at age 16 he had opportunities that the other two didn’t have,” she continues.

She tells about the foster parents and the group home that gave him a chance.

“Just obey the rules, Mr. Davidson.”

October 30, 2009 – 9:13amJudge Baumgartner is addressing the jury on what to expect today. After the closing arguments, he tells the jurors, he will give them final instructions.

Takisha Fitzgerald will begin with the state’s closing argument.

October 30, 2009 – 9:09amCourt is in session for the final arguments of the penalty phase.

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October 27, 2009 – 5:06pmThe jury has not gone home yet, but defense attorney Doug Trant tells 6 News it won’t be reaching a verdict tonight.

October 27, 2009 – 4:46pmJudge Baumgartner says he will check with the jurors at around 5:30 to see if they wish to continue deliberating or break for the evening.

He’s now called for a recess until then.

October 27, 2009 – 4:39pmThe judge is now reviewing photos of the victims that the lawyers may use during the sentencing phase.

October 27, 2009 – 4:31pmJudge Baumgartner asks Deena Christian to not make a reference to Chris and Channon as being victimized by defense tactics. They are clearly victims, the judge says, but she should not refer to trial tactics.

October 27, 2009 – 4:23pm“She was a beautiful young woman with a beautiful soul,” Deena Christian says about her daughter. She stops to wipe away tear.

“Neither Channon nor Chris deserved what happened to them,” she says.

“Our kids are the victims. They should not have been put on trial here.”

“What she had to endure haunts me.”

“It breaks my heart to see the pain in Gary and Chase’s faces knowing there’s nothing I can do.”

October 27, 2009 – 4:22pmThis was the first time Chase took the stand to remember his sister. He was too emotional to speak at Letalvis Cobbins’ trial.

“‘I love you Chaser,'” he says Channon told him. “Those were the last words I ever heard from my baby sister.”

October 27, 2009 – 4:13pmThe jurors have returned to the courtroom because they have a question. They say they’re struggling with the difference between aggravated rape and facillitation of rape.

Judge Baumgartner explains what the law says to distinguish the two.

“Look at the elements and then compare; and then make up your mind beyond a reasonable doubt,” he says.

October 27, 2009 – 4:09pmJudge Baumgartner asks Mr. Newsom to take out of his statement anecdotes about weddings Chris was not able to attend and a Halls High School scholarship baseball game.

Also, although Mr. Newsom can say his son was never in serious trouble, he cannot name off the offenses that Davidson has been charged with.

“I just don’t want to venture too far beyond where the court says we can go,” the judge says.

October 27, 2009 – 4:06pmNearly the whole courtroom is crying

October 27, 2009 – 4:03pmDavidson listens as the family members read their impact statements.

October 27, 2009 – 3:52pm“I go up to his room from time to time, but (despite all the memories) to me the room is empty,” says Hugh Newsom, father of Chris.

Mr. Newsom says he taught his son, just as his father had taught him, to never speak ill of the dead.

“I know without a doubt, as he drew his last breath… that his concern was for Channon.”

October 27, 2009 – 3:48pm“I mourn the loss of Chris and the life he’ll never live,” says Chris’s sister, Andrea Bowers.

October 27, 2009 – 3:38pmThe first person to give her victim impact statement is Mary Newsom, Chris’ mother. She tells of how proud she was of him. “I knew what kind of kid he really was.” “I have many sleepless nights,” she adds.

October 27, 2009 – 3:26pmAs the jury continues its deliberations, family members will be reading their impact statements soon. It’s a dry run in the event that the jury finds Davidson guilty and the case moves to a sentencing phase.

We’re expecting they will start at around 3:30.

October 27, 2009 – 12:22pmThe families are scheduled to read their impact statements to the judge today at 3:30. This is a sort of rehearsal for the sentencing phase in the event that Davidson should be found guilty.

October 27, 2009 – 12:16pmJudge Baumgartner show the jury how to use the charge to determine guilt or innocence on each indictment.

He then sends the jury to lunch. He tells jurors he doesn’t want them to begin deliberations until after they’ve eaten lunch.

October 27, 2009 – 12:08pm“Each of you must decide the case for yourself,” the judge tells jurors.

“You must render your verdict with absolute fairness and impartiality.”

October 27, 2009 – 11:53amThe judge says the burden of proof is on the state and its proof must be beyond reasonable doubt.

He defines reasonable doubt, telling the jury that “absolute proof is not required, but moral certainty is.”

October 27, 2009 – 11:40amThe jury is back. Judge Baumgartner says three pages have been inserted into the instructions being given to the jury.

This is being done because, when there is a reference to more than one sexual assault, the state is required to select just one for the charge.

“Of course it’s up to you to decide if any assault has occurred beyond a reasonable doubt,” he adds.

October 27, 2009 – 11:31amThe closing arguments have concluded. The judge is now working on some last minute changes to the jury’s instructions before he delivers them.

October 27, 2009 – 11:21amPrice shows the jury the two revolvers introduced as evidence. He asks which gun is capable of firing “pop! pop! pop!” in rapid succession. It’s Davidson’s gun, he says.

October 27, 2009 – 11:17amPrice calls the stories told by defense witnesses Freeman and Bradley as “crazy” and “absurd.”

He reminds Bradley told jurors he saw Christian with Davidson in Stacy Lawson’s Grand Am, but that weekend she was already in Kentucky.

“Another rabbit hole,” Price calls the story.

October 27, 2009 – 11:15amBy Sunday night, Price asks, what did they have?

He describes Newsom and Christian, brutalized and murdered. “They had lost everything.”

October 27, 2009 – 11:12amPrice asks what the victims had on Saturday night. They had jobs and bright future, he says.

And what did Davidson have that night? He had no job, no ride, no girlfriend. Lynn Freeman was hounding him for money. The rent man was hounding him for money.

“He had nothing, except a gun.”

October 27, 2009 – 11:05amLeland Price begins with the state’s rebuttal. He thanks the jury for serving. “It’s a tough case,” he says.

Price reminds the jury of Daphne Sutton’s testimony. She tried to retrieve some of her items, “and who was it that stopped her?” he asks.

He emphasizes Davidson’s reaction. “This is my house!”

October 27, 2009 – 11:00amEldridge continues his closing argument. He talks about certainty of guilt. An absolute certainty is not required, but a moral certainty will be, “so you can rest easy at night.”

October 27, 2009 – 10:40amThe judge calls for a 10 minute break.

October 27, 2009 – 10:33amEldridge continues to point all of the evidence to the “gang from Kentucky.” They killed Newsom 100 yards from Davidson’s house. They left a body in his house. They fled the state.

Eldridge reminds the jurors Davidson left his identification in his house. He claims Davidson only lied during his interrogation out of his fear of police.

About the defendant’s palm prints being found on the garbage bags, he says, “It’s his house!”

“Prints would be on your garbage bags at home, folks.”

Eldridge also works to poke holes in the medical examiner’s time of death. He tries to show Davidson wasn’t in his house at that time.

October 27, 2009 – 10:11amAbout the “gang from Kentucky,” Eldridge tells the jury that Cobbins used bleach to his DNA. Coleman tried to hide Cobbins’ gun.

“Did she know he used it to kill Newsom?” he asks.

But Eldridge also reminds the jury that forensics experts could not put a fix on which gun fired the bullets found in Newsom.

He tells jurors they cannot convict Davidson on Newsom’s death based on possibilities.

“You don’t send somebody to life in prison or worse,” says Eldridge, “because a gun could’ve been used to kill Chris Newsom.”

October 27, 2009 – 10:08amGary Christian sits in the front row, rocking back and forth while twirling a small cross in his fingers.

October 27, 2009 – 10:02amEldridge turns his attention to Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas and Vanessa Coleman. He reminds the jury that Cobbins’ DNA was found on Christian.

Did the couple’s connection to Davidson put them tragically in contact with the “gang from Kentucky?” Eldridge asks.

October 27, 2009 – 9:56am“We know that Mr. Davidson and Miss Christian had been seen together by Mr. Bradley,” Eldridge says.

“He’s absolutely certain,” Eldridge adds, while noting that Bradley didn’t want to be in the courtroom to testify. He discounts the prosecution’s observation that the car Bradley says he saw wasn’t in Knoxville at that time.

“Is it possible they were supposed to bring drugs to party?” Eldridge asks.

At that point, Christian’s friend, Kara Sowards, leaves the courtroom.

October 27, 2009 – 9:52amEldridge reminds the jury there was no proof offered that Christian was raped repeatedly or that she was killed before 2 a.m. Monday.

He calls these parts of the state’s “made up story.”

October 27, 2009 – 9:47amEldridge tries to poke holes in prosecution testimony by pointing to parts of the prosecution’s narrative that are not supported by evidence it presented.

One example cited by Eldridge is the testimony of Xavier Jenkins, who says he saw four black men in Christian’s SUV. Later, the state says Newsom may have been bound in the back, but there’s no evidence of that.

October 27, 2009 – 9:31amThe judge has entered the courtroom. He is explaining that a meeting with lawyers in his office was the cause of the long delay.

He says Fitzgerald argued that there was potentially more than one sexual assault. But the indictment defines specific acts, so there was discussion on how to frame that in the judge’s instructions to the jury.

October 27, 2009 – 9:16amThe Christian family is in red today, just as the Newsom family was yesterday.

Davidson’s ex-girlfriend testified he hated red. Is it a gang thing?

October 27, 2009 – 9:12amWe are still awaiting the judge to enter the courtroom.

The defense is scheduled to give its closing argument, then the state will be given time for a rebuttal.

After that, Judge Baumgartner will give the jury its final instructions and it will begin deliberations on a verdict.

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The jews seem to be increasingly open about their complete contempt for Jesus Christ. I’m sure this baffles many Christian Zionists (most of them) and they pass it off as just some random occurrence and think that it has nothing to do of his Jewish roots.

Let’s recall what Jesus Christ thinks of the jews.

John 8:44“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

Now what does the jewish holy book the Talmud have to say about Jesus and his followers?

Kallah, 1b. (18b) — Illegitimate and conceived during menstruation.

Zohar III, (282) — Died like a beast and buried in animal’s dirt heap.

I could literally go on for an hour citing passages from the Talmud that equate Christians to beasts, encourages molestation of children, the killing of Christians etc. The saddest part of all is that Christians are taught that the Jews are God’s chosen people.

This is Paul’s qualification of Elders taken from Titus Chapter 1, now tell me how many Elders and pastors today fit these qualifications?

9Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

10For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

11Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.

12One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, the Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

13This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

14Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

15Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

16They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Comedian Larry David is under attack from critics who say he pushed the mocking of religion and Christian belief in miracles over the edge in the latest episode of his HBO series “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” which the cable network defended as “playful.”On the show’s most recent installment, which aired Sunday, David urinates on a painting of Jesus Christ, causing a woman to believe the painting depicts Jesus crying.Deal Hudson, author and publisher of InsideCatholic.com, said he doesn’t find any humor in the episode.“I don’t think it’s funny,” Hudson told Foxnews.com. “Why is it that people are allowed to publicly show that level of disrespect for Christian symbols? If the same thing was done to a symbol of any other religions — Jewish or Muslim — there’d be a huge outcry. It’s simply not a level playing field.”Hudson said an apology from the show’s producers and writing team should be issued.“Somebody should [apologize],” Hudson said. “When is it going to stop? When is common sense going to dictate that people realize this willingness of artists to do to Christianity what they would never do to Judaism or Islam?”In a statement to Foxnews.com, HBO downplayed the controversy.“Anyone who follows Curb Your Enthusiasm knows that the show is full of parody and satire,” the statement read. “Larry David makes fun of everyone, most especially himself. The humor is always playful and certainly never malicious.”Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, also criticized the episode, saying David should “quit while he’s ahead,” and that the show is proof that the comedian’s best years are behind him.“Was Larry David always this crude? Would he think it’s comedic if someone urinated on a picture of his mother?” Donohue said in a statement. “This might be fun to watch, but since HBO only likes to dump on Catholics (it was just a couple of weeks ago that Sarah Silverman insulted Catholics on ‘Real Time with Bill Maher’) and David is Jewish, we’ll never know.”During Sunday’s episode, David, who created, wrote and produced “Seinfeld,” visits a bathroom in his assistant’s home and splatters urine on a picture of Jesus. Instead of wiping it off, David leaves the restroom. Minutes later, David’s assistant enters the bathroom and concludes that Jesus is crying. She then summons her mother to the bathroom, where both women kneel in prayer.“When David and Jerry Seinfeld (playing himself) are asked if they ever experienced a miracle, David answers, ‘every erection is a miracle,’ Donohue’s statement continued. “That’s what passes for creativity these days.”The episode, “The Bare Midriff,” primarily revolves around David’s assistant and her belly-revealing attire. According to the show’s Web site, a “new pill” increased David’s urine flow, leading to the “misunderstanding about a miraculously weeping Jesus.”HBO promoted the controversial scene on the show’s site, complete with a “squirm-o-meter” that ranked the urine incident ahead of David’s confronting his assistant about her exposed midriff.

October 26, 2009 – 4:14pmAs his parents listen, Fitzgerald describing what likely happened to Chris Newsom in the final moments of his life.

October 26, 2009 – 4:00pmFitzgerald points out several of the lies Davidson gave to police when they interviewed him following his arrest.

He said he never touched Christian, but his DNA was all over her.

Fitzgerald also reminds the jury that there are no records of phone calls between the victims and Davidson. She strikes down the defense theory that they were in the neighborhood to buy drugs.

October 26, 2009 – 3:53pmDavidson calls several of Suttons friends on Sunday afternoon, still looking for her. Her friends call each other.

On Sunday evening, he talks to Sutton and she goes to Chipman Street. Davidson give Christian’s clothes to Sutton. She leaves. Then she calls him and he shows in a 4Runner.

Fitzgerald reminds the jury of Sutton’s statement that he stays with her Monday night. She says he was wearing Nike Shox shoes that were too small for him.

October 26, 2009 – 3:46pmFitzgerald reminds the jury that at 3:13 a.m. Davidson tries to track down his ex-girlfriend, Daphne Sutton.

Freeman calls Davidson on Sunday morning. “Slow down,” she says.

What was Davidson doing, Fitzgerald wonders?

In the meantime, from the cell phone records, Christian’s voice mail is checked. If she was able to use her phone, why didn’t she phone home? Why didn’t she phone Newsom?

Fitzgerald reminds the jury that Christian was dependable, responsible and loved her mother.

October 26, 2009 – 3:32pmFitzgerald spends some time to deconstruct and debunk the statements of the defense witnesses. She uses a timeline to show that at 9:02 p.m. Newsom called Christian. That refutes Freeman’s account of seeing the couple at an Exxon state between 9 and 10.

The couple was expected to arrive at a party at 10, but they don’t arrive.

Fitzgerald points out that a Waste Connections worker testified seeing her 4Runner around midnight on Chipman Street. He says he saw four black men in it.

October 26, 2009 – 3:21pmFitzgerald describes the condition of Chris Newsom’s body. He was Rape, then moved to the railroad tracks where he was shot three times and set on fire.

Floral fabric found on his body is the same as what was found in the Chipman Street house. He was shot by bullets consistent with the gun Davidson had.

Newsom’s ball caps were found in the house.

We know that Channon Christian was held in the house and raped multiple times. Davidson’s DNA was found on her. She was also brutally beaten.

Davidson’s DNA was also found on her clothing and hits prints were found on the garbage bags that wrapped her body.

“What happened to Chris and Channon? That’s what everyone wants to know,” she says as she begins to layout the state’s version of what happened.

October 26, 2009 – 3:03pmJudge Baumgartner said he’s set no time limit on the lawyers for their closing arguments. The best guess is both sides will take an hour. If so, then the jury likely won’t begin deliberating until tomorrow.

The Cobbins jury spent 6-7 hours deliberating over two days. Davidson faces about the same number of charges as Cobbins did.

Davidson listens as Judge Baumgartner reads the charges against him.

October 26, 2009 – 2:51pmAfter an hour of reading the charge, the judge has finished. He’s called for a break before the closing arguments begin.

October 26, 2009 – 2:21pmThe courtroom is nearly filled as the judge reads the charge against Davidson

October 26, 2009 – 2:05pmThe verdict form the jurors will use once they’ve decided on verdicts can be found here. :

October 26, 2009 – 1:58pmThere are 12 distinct offenses listed in the charge, covering among them first degree, felony, and premeditated murder, aggravated robbery, theft, aggravated rape, and kidnapping.

October 26, 2009 – 1:43pmThe judge is explaining procedures, the law and the charges against Davidson to the jury. The charge is lengthy, nearly 100 pages long. He warns it will take him some time to go through it.

October 26, 2009 – 1:42pmJudge Baumgartner reminds the audience that they are not to react to what’s said.

October 26, 2009 – 1:38pmThere was a long line outside the courtroom of spectators waiting to come in for closing arguments.

October 26, 2009 – 1:36pmCourt is back in session.

October 26, 2009 – 12:52pmThe jury in this case will have a mountain of information to wade through. The jury form is 95 pages. The verdict form is around 20 pages.

October 26, 2009 – 11:54amJudge Baumgartner says the jury will be given the case today, but won’t be able to begin deliberating until tomorrow morning. Closing arguments begin this afternoon at 1:30.

October 26, 2009 – 11:33amThe state rests.

Judge Baumgartner sends the jury to lunch. He says he will take up additional matters with the attorneys before they give their closing arguments.

October 26, 2009 – 11:28amKimberly Elkins is brought in to testify about Newsom’s bank account at TVA Federal Credit Union. Elkins is a fraud examiner there. She says Newsom withdrew $100 on the night of the abduction and he had more than a $900 balance. The defense asks Elkins that there is no way for her to know if marijuana or amphetamines were bought with the money. She says no.

Another bank official, Barbara Thomas, with First Tennessee, says records show Christian spent $5.05 at Walgreens on Jan 6. 2007 and had more than $200 available in her account.

October 26, 2009 – 11:20amThe state calls Shara Johnson, an employee with Select Specialty Hospitals, to testify about Channon Christian. She was Christian’s employment supervisor and is asked about drug testing at the hospital.

Johnson says Christian’s test was negative except for oxycodone. The defense then objects to questioning related to a car wreck, so Johnson is dismissed.

October 26, 2009 – 11:10amThe first rebuttal witness called by the state is Josh Shafer, a drug crimes investigator with the Knoxville Police Department. Takisha Fitzgerald asks Shaffer about where different types of drugs are sold in the Knoxville area.

He says pills are typically sold in north and and west of the UT campus. Crack cocaine is sold in East Knoxville. Marijuana is sold everywhere.

October 26, 2009 – 11:08amThe defense rests after introducing the record of Cobbins’ conviction in New York.

October 26, 2009 – 11:05amThe judge has allowed the defense motion to introduce Cobbins’ prior robbery conviction in New York.

October 26, 2009 – 10:59amJudge Baumgartner asks Davidson if he wants to testify. Davidson answers that he agrees with his lawyer’s advice and has decided not to testify.

October 26, 2009 – 10:37amThe court is taking a break.

October 26, 2009 – 10:33amIs STR any less accurate than YSTR testing, a juror asks?

Lewis says neither test is any less accurate. They just look at different evidence.

October 26, 2009 – 10:29amIs it possible that the DNA profiles that were not identified came from skin cells, Leland Price asks?

Lewis says it’s possible.

Could the sample have been contaminated by the handling of the underwear?

“It’s possible,” she says.

He testimony was not on sperm DNA, just unknown male DNA.

October 26, 2009 – 10:15amThe independent lab did not do any tests to verify the presence of semen.

October 26, 2009 – 10:07amLewis says there was not evidence of Davidon’s DNA on the underwear using the YSTR profile testing used by the lab. There were unidentified contributors.

The tests on DNA taken from the rectal swab of Newsom also didn’t show Davidson’s DNA, she says.

October 26, 2009 – 10:02amDNA analyst Kelli Lewis is now on the stand for the defense. She is testifying on tests performed on samples found on Channon Christian underwear.

October 26, 2009 – 9:46amDefense attorney David Eldridge has asked Carlisle a lot of questions about how long drugs remain in the body. It seems the defense wishes to show that the victims could have taken drugs and have them not show up in toxicology tests.

In her cross examination, Takisha Fitzgerald asks Carlisle if being high on drugs would prevent feeling of pain from raped or shot.

Carlisle answers no.

October 26, 2009 – 9:44amA source tells me Davidson will not testify in his own defense.

October 26, 2009 – 9:39amThe defense has called Melanie Carlisle, a TBI toxicology expert, to testify.

October 26, 2009 – 9:31amThe judge says his gut reaction is that the evidence does not apply, but he will not rule on the motion until later.

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Now before you racists jump to conclusions you should know that this poor black male grew up with a father in prison (for murder). The father was only 16 years old when he knocked up the killers poor innocent black kids mother, a 13 year old girl. The only one who made it to the poor kids trial was his grandmother.

President Barack Obama has only been in office for just over nine months, but he’s already hit the links as much as President Bush did in over two years.

CBS’ Mark Knoller — an unofficial documentarian and statistician of all things White House-related — wrote on his Twitter feed that, “Today – Obama ties Pres. Bush in the number of rounds of golf played in office: 24. Took Bush 2 yrs & 10 months.”

This news comes on the heels of today’s news that Obama played golf with a woman — chief domestic policy adviser Melody Barnes — for the first time since taking office.

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Currently we have almost 50 subscribers according to feedburner, and get roughly 200 unique visitors per day, I am very pleased with the amount of traffic generated.

I have added a link on the side in case you would like to have new posts emailed to you daily. This is just a trial and if after a period of time nobody subscribes I will take it off.

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